#and this all especially holds true in a piece of media like cats that relies so heavily on visual storytelling

[millenari]

I promise I will shut up about the Broadway Revival sometime soon but thinking about it again, I do think that if it were just bad, I wouldn’t pay any attention to it at all.

Like… I don’t really clown much on the West End Revival. I mean, yes, the three big changes in that production I know off the top of my head are A) Rap!Tugger, which most everyone hated, B) Growltiger costumes, which most everyone didn’t care about, and C) Sexy!Griz, which most everyone either hated intimately or didn’t care about. But even so, nobody really dissects the West End Revival the way we do the Bway Revival. And part of that may have to do with less accessible boots, but I’ve seen (probably) most of the West End Revival footage that exists and yet it’s the Bway Revival that gets my goat.

And, yes, the Gillian Lynne snub element of the Bway choreo definitely plays a big part in that.

But also… the Bway Revival is sometimes really good? The West End Revival just... *is*. It’s a 98 clone with slightly different (and generally disliked) costumes. If it weren’t for the sort-of-racist and unbearably cringe Rap!Tugger, I don’t think this production would get much attention within the fandom at all (despite doing really well financially), because that’s all it really is: a perfectly serviceable 98 clone.

(And that’s not a bad thing. I like 98. I like the West End Revival. It’s a good production with skilled performers, chunks of it are on yt check it out.)

But the Bway Revival changes don't universally suck. There are elements (lots of elements!) of the Bway Revival I adore and I genuinely think are better than the original. Everything to do with Macavity, imo, is just brilliant. The old Macavity fight choreo had this kind of cool abstract tribal vibe to it, but the new choreo looks violent. It also looks more catlike; Munk and Mac crouch low to the ground like hunched-up cats, they circle each other, and the hits actually look like they connect at the right angles. The goofier parts (the mutual ass-slap, the playing tug-of-war with Demeter, the piggyback ride) are removed so it feels more serious: Munk actually looks nervous or frightened sometimes despite not backing down, and it looks like the background cats might be being controlled (which explains why few cats try and help Munk during the fight until the end). Not even to touch upon the lighting and music.

Revival!Macavity’s style of movement is super unique and recognizable too, Daniel Gaymon’s Macavity is amazing, I love how the way he moves sometimes makes him look possessed by something (also his Plato was adorable, He Has The Range Darling). His costume is cool on its own, (I don't love the old Macavity design, which simultaneously makes him look more like a tiger and also a little boy wearing pajamas rather than a housecat) but I love how the little mane-like collar and wig curls makes him look like Tugger & I love the parallels between the two that this production emphasizes. Tugger, the tribe’s most popular cat & pride and joy, versus Macavity, the outcast. Tugger, who everyone wants, versus Macavity, who can’t seem to acquire the one cat he wants.

Plus Macavity’s mind control? In the classic Mac freezes the cats; in the Bway Revival he forces them to dance. In the show where dancing together is a symbol of togetherness and community.  In the show where characters frequently imitate each other to indicate closeness or admiration. In the show where you spend like 5 minutes watching Grizabella the Outcast Cat fail to dance along with the others, Macavity forces the others to dance with him. NO NOTES WHATSOEVER.

And the extra lore and worldbuilding they add to the magic element? I don’t love the Macavity Interlude, but “He hypnotizes with his eyes/His head moves like a snake” in combination with the fact that it seems like Macavity needs eye contact to control other cats? Plus how Tugger, Munk, and Deuteronomy all seem to be immune to his powers to a degree?

This element isn’t really in the boot on yt but in later performances there’s a bit at the end of the fight where Macavity, (on the top of the car) visibly tries to use his powers on the gathered cats, and when he fails he looks down at his hands and then scrambles to grab the jumper cables. The idea that he has some kind of ‘magic meter’ that he is capable of using up somehow? Potentially explaining why he went the subtle route and tries to impersonate Deut rather than go in guns blazing for Demeter?

THE WAY DEMETER REACHES FOR HIM WHEN HE FIRST GRABS HER? The way she looks like she’s flailing and trying to get away from him the second time, after the fight? Tantomile jumping between Demeter and Mac the second he lets go of her?

AND DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE MISTO/MAC PARALLELS I’VE BEEN WORKING ON A GIFSET FOR THAT

It’s so good. Those changes make me go insane. Because they’re deliberate, and pointed, and they add things to the story, build upon the story, and add more depth to the story. They’re also just cool and fun to look at and play around with. That’s the thing that gets me about the Bway Revival, because they were capable of making insightful and meaningful changes that genuinely elevated the source material in really cool ways.

[bllsbailey]

Paging David Muir and ABC News: Humiliation Is Calling, Courtesy of New FBI Crime Stats

Moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis of ABC News delivered a frankly disgusting performance during the September presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. The network had agreed that there would be no fact checks and no interruptions, yet the partisan duo proceeded to do exactly that.

In fact, Trump was fact-checked at least five times, while Harris was left to say whatever the heck she wanted (much of it lies).

RedState didn’t hold back on what we thought of the tag-team event:

Quiet Part Out Loud? ABC Debate Co-Moderator Makes Eye-Opening Admission on Why They Fact-Checked Trump

Candy Crowley Is No Longer the Worst Presidential Debate Moderator of All Time

RFK Jr. Blasts Kamala, Biased Debate Moderators; Says 'the Party That I Grew Up in Doesn't Exist Anymore'

Perhaps the most infamous moment came when Muir, using his most arrogant, self-important tone, interrupted Trump on crime statistics. Yes, the former president fought back and tried to explain why Muir was wrong, but the mission had already been accomplished: they wanted to interrupt Trump’s flow, have him go off on some sideline that wasn’t germane to the argument he was making—and they succeeded. If this were Kamala Harris using these tactics, that would have been fine—she’s supposed to be trying to trip him up—but to have the supposedly unbiased neutral “moderators” join forces with Kamala was quite simply unethical.

Of course, Trump was right, and Muir was wrong. The FBI, whose reputation was already in tatters, just demeaned themselves even more by quietly releasing new statistics showing that rather than the 2.1 percent decrease they’d reported, it was actually a 4.5 percent increase. Oops. 

RedState's Bonchie: SURPRISE: The FBI Just Stealth-Edited Its Violent Crime Rate, Blows Up Democrat and Press Narrative

Yeah. The crime rate went up, not down.  

But while Mr. Muir may be at his  $7 million dollar home on Skaneateles Lake, New York, busily eating crow for dinner, has he apologized to Trump, to the American people, to anybody? According to reports, the cat has got his tongue:

Muir has yet to acknowledge the FBI's stat change on "World News Tonight," according to Grabien transcripts. ABC News did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

"Did not immediately respond." Meaning, they're cowering like cats in a rainstorm.

I wondered in a piece Friday why this election is apparently so close—despite a majority of voters reporting that they are worse off than they were four years ago. One of my conclusions: the lying mainstream media has played a huge role in dumbing down the American voter.

…the mainstream media lies to the American people regularly, and basically is an arm of the Democrat party. As much progress as we’ve made with conservative media, a huge portion of people still rely on legacy outlets and blindly vacuum up whatever they’re told. I know members of my own family who wouldn’t argue over the articles and facts we print here at RedState—they would just deny those facts even existed. "I didn't see that," they'd say, as if that made it not true.

Muir’s needless interjection into a historic and potentially history-defining debate was appalling at the time, but this new information makes him and his network look even worse. It would be nice to see him man up to it, but manning up is not something we see too often these days coming from the Democrat party/corporate media cabal. 

Meanwhile, I don't often praise Saturday Night Live, but their version of the conceited moderator had some funny moments (especially at the beginning where Mr. "I'm So Handsome" preens and laughs about his obvious bias):

[arse-crack-thistle]

rwrb winterfest - day 18 - music

@rwrb-fests​ 

in which my dear princess bea needs a little comfort at christmastime (ace rep)

Bea always has a hard time around Christmas. 

Part of it has to do with her father. She seems to find new pieces of him to miss every day. Today, it’s his laugh—the deep chuckle he lets out when David jumps on his lap and licks his face or when he’s had a little too much brandy and Bea says something sarcastic and rude about her grandmother. 

She misses how the family used to gather around a table in one of the sitting rooms in Kensington and play gin rummy at Christmastime. The tree would stand tall in the corner. Their father insisted they decorate it themselves, despite Philip’s disapproval. It looked sloppy covered in tinsel and an assortment of colorful lights and ornaments. The star at the top tilted towards the left, but at least the tree filled the room with a delicate pine scent. The fire burned at a soft glow, and everyone around the table laughed and wore paper crowns from their Christmas crackers. It didn’t matter who they were, they were just a normal family.

Now, the room feels cold, even though the fire cracks across from her. In the corner, the bare tree sags. She hasn’t had the energy to decorate it herself since Henry’s been in New York, and while she and Philip have reconciled their differences, he’s never really liked this part of their family’s traditions. Her mother works a ton since stepping up as the heir apparent, so Bea didn’t want to bother her either. Her cat meows next to her on the couch.

Christ, she wants a hit. She wants something to wipe her memory and just let her be. She just might reach for the brandy on the liquor cart. Why did she convince Henry she could handle it being here? Or that she could handle him leaving?

No, he needs to live his life without her, even if she misses him. The hardest part about being ace is watching her people find their person.

She’s happy for Henry and she loves Alex, but she’s lonely when they’re gone. And with loneliness comes dark thoughts. And the chance she will relapse multiplies. 

Bea should call her sponsor. Or Henry. Or literally anyone. She knows they’ll answer. She knows she’s loved. But the only person she wants to hold her and make Christmas special again can’t.

She really misses her father.

Bea leaves the room. She puts as much space between her and the brandy as she can. When her fingers itch for something, she must fill them, and the best remedy is music.

Her favorite room in this place looks exactly how she left it the day before. The piano sits, awaiting Henry. The mismatch of rugs were her idea—benders with musicians in Galway inspired her, or what she remembered of them did. The cat finds her way to her spot on the brown settee. 

Before picking up a guitar, Bea passes tchotchkes from their travels on an antique side table. Nesting dolls from Russia. A Statue of Liberty figurine from their first trip to the U.S. A toorstag from Henry’s month in Mongolia. A coconut bra from Bea’s drunk cruise in the Caribbean. She’s since become a more sensitive and culturally-minded traveler. 

She sits with the instrument on the floor, her back against the settee. This particular guitar was a gift from her father on her fourteenth birthday. It was handmade for her, and her initials sit just below the artisan’s label under the sound hole. The koa wood has a rich, dark finish; Bea likes to drag her finger across the wood grain when she’s deciding what to play next or when she’s lost in her thoughts in between songs. When her father first gave it to her, the sound was bright and lively, but in the time since, it’s become mellow and warm. Perfect for fingerpicking.

She plays a few chords as she tunes it. Her cat purrs behind her ear. Crystal from the chandelier above her twinkles. She settles in the quiet moment and plays.

But there’s no heart in it.

Bea thought if she changed her scenery, if she gave herself something to do, she’d get out of this riptide. But every song, every passing minute, pulls her further and further out.

If no one’s around to hear her play, is it really music?

Is this her safe space if no one’s here to create its harmony with her?

She’s so lonely.

And the tune is as frozen as she feels.

It’s times like these she wishes she wanted her grandmother’s happily ever after—marry a man, pop out a couple of kids, and be a dutiful royal. But she can’t. The thought of marrying someone, of making and raising children, of being a mindless princess puppet actually nauseates her.

If only she had her own community of people like her, she might be able to rely on Henry less. Her other married friends wouldn’t feel so bad for her. She could just go on ignoring her grandmother and Philip, when he gets to be too much. Her mother wouldn’t worry as much.

And not that she wouldn’t miss her father less, but maybe she wouldn’t feel so empty without him here.

Maybe the soul could find its way back into her music.

So Bea snaps herself out of it just enough to text Pez and ask for his Instagram login. She has a plan that her handler—and her grandmother, for that matter—would definitely disapprove of.

But fuck the crown.

Bea needs to take her life in her own hands and demand more for herself. She needs help to feel better, but she has to be the one to initiate. If Henry could do it, so could she. 

Part of the AA mantra is to have the courage to change the things she can. 

She’s got it, and she can do it.

Pez responds quickly and without question, of course. She sets her guitar to the side and downloads the app. After she logs in, she leans forward and rests the phone against the floor pouf in front of her.

Bea takes a deep breath and starts a livestream, and the viewer count immediately skyrockets. Her grandmother is really going to hate this.

“Um, hello,” she says. “I’m sure you all weren’t expecting to see me, but our friend, Percy, was kind enough to lend me his account for a short while. I hope that’s all right.”

She shifts a little uncomfortably. She never minded the spotlight as long as she could control it, but even now, she feels more venerable than ever. Last year’s Christmas pajamas hang loosely on her. Surely, her reindeer bottoms will go viral, as she sits with her legs crisscrossed in full view of the camera. Her cat mews.

“Yes, thank you for that, darling,” She says to her and then looks to the camera.

“I just wanted to come on here to talk to you all. See, as we’re in the holiday season, it’s all a bit overwhelming, isn’t it? And in all of this hustle and bustle, one finds they get a bit lost along the way.

“I’ve noticed this in myself every year, but this time it’s more frustrating. I’ve just been feeling rather lonely lately, as one can during this chilly time, so I thought maybe you lot have experienced that as well. I wanted to connect with people like me. I don’t mean, like, I want to wallow in my problems—or that I have especially difficult problems—I mean I know I’m very fortunate—I just—um. Let me—let me straighten this out.”

She sighs. This could be a disaster. She could come off entitled and whiny if she doesn’t focus more on her words.

“It seems the people in my life all have a partner, and I am so happy for them, truly. But I don’t want a partner or a relationship of any nature other than friendship. And so during this time of year—and, I suppose, other times as well—I find myself the odd woman out.

“For example, here I am, alone in this place, with only my cat, with whom you’ve already become acquainted. Now, I know I’m very lucky to have this, but it’s empty houses that can lead people down a dark path, isn’t it?”

Bea needs to say the words. She needs to make it very clear. She watches the screen flood with comments and hearts. Hundreds of thousands of people are watching, and tomorrow she’s going to be on every media outlet.

“I’m aromantic and asexual, if that wasn’t clear. I can’t and don’t want to fall in love, and not that it’s anyone’s business, I’m not even faintly interested in sex. And that may be confusing for some of you, but for me, it makes my life, my mind, make sense.”

She’s slowly but surely finding her way back to shore now.

“For years, I thought there was something wrong with me, but there’s not. I thought the only way I could be happy was to be in a relationship, but it’s not. And if you yourself are ace as well, I want you to know you’re not alone.

“This is the real reason why I did all of this. I was lonely and sad tonight, and I wanted you all to know that if you feel that too, it’s okay. I hope I can learn about and grow in the ace community—not to replace my happily coupled friends, but to explore new friendships with people who can understand what I and some of you are going though.

“We’ve been taught that there’s one way to be happy, and I just don’t think that’s true. And I’m willing to prove it if you’ll help me. Starting now.”

Bea reaches for her guitar and places it in her lap. She finds the first chord of “Horchata” by Vampire Weekend. A text notification from Henry pops down.

HOLY SHIT I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

A smile creeps up her cheeks.

“Something I love to do when I’m down is to pick out a little tune. If it’s all right with you, I thought I’d play a round for us. Maybe answer a few questions if you’ve got any.”

Bea picks the first note, and the tone is perfect.

She feels warmth grow in her chest and travel around her arms and down her back.

Like her father hugging her from behind, arms crossed over her shoulders.

Just like he used to do many Christmases ago.

[bestrenew728]

Best Cases For Mac Book Proretina 15

But, if you want to get the very best briefcase for MacBook Pro 15 Retina – Polare is the one for you. We weighed all pros and cons, and this briefcase simply came on top. We weighed all pros and cons, and this briefcase simply came on top.

Best Cases For Mac Book Pro Retina 15-inch

Laptop Cases For Mac Book Air

Best Cases For Mac Book Pro Retina 15

BestMacBook Pro CasesiMore2019

In our case - quality comes along with quantity. Best app for mac for instagram. Turbo Followers app serves over 50,000 customers daily - allow us to serve you, too!

The MacBook Pro is a heck of a machine, with slick internals and four very recent updates (a new one every year since 2016). If you've just picked up a new laptop, then you'll want to protect it or maybe even just dress it up a bit. Here are the best cases for your MacBook Pro.

Note: Always remember to select the right size and model before you check out. Also, remember that any case for the 2016 MacBook Pro will fit the 2017, 2018, and 2019 models too.

Best Buy customers often prefer the following products when searching for Cases For Macbook Pro 15. Browse the top-ranked list of Cases For Macbook Pro 15. Protect and personalize your 15' MacBook Pro Retina. Our hardshell cases, form-fitting sleeves & protective bags are designed with style in mind. Free Shipping!

The best cases and bags for the 2015 MacBook Pro. The case for the MacBook Pro 15in Retina version is also available on Amazon for. Available for both 13 and 15 inch MacBook Pro models, it. 15 inch MacBook Pro case, MacBook Pro 15 sleeve, MacBook Pro case, 15 MacBook case, MacBook Pro 15 case, laptop case--U601 Find this Pin and more on MacBook Pro Retina 15' Cases by Jennifer Kolker. This hardcover case might be the most reviewed case on Amazon, and over 70% of reviews fall in the 4- or 5-star range. This is the perfect basic case for your MacBook Pro and it comes in 13-inch and 15-inch versions, so it's great for everybody. Apple's laptops come with the best ecosystem of accessories in the business. Here are some of our favorite picks for the 12-inch MacBook and the new MacBook Pro models.

Best Overall: Mosiso plastic hard case

Mosiso's plastic hard case even comes with a screen protector and a keyboard cover so that your MacBook Pro is covered through and through. It matches whichever exterior color you choose, and just like most MacBook cases, these are made from hard plastic and feature an anti-slip rubberized coating. It's also available in a 15-inch version.

Pros:

Great value

Great color selection

Keyboard case included

Screen protector included

Best Overall

Mosiso plastic hard case

Three in one

Choose from more than two dozen colors, and get a screen protector and matching keyboard cover included as well.

InCase makes fantastic backpacks, and that craftsmanship translates to its MacBook Pro cases, which have a dot texture look and repel water. The Bayer Makrolon polycarbonate material is also abrasion-resistant, meaning extra scratch protection for your laptop.

Cons:

Pricey

Most Popular

InCase Hardshell case

Best for most

This is a great case that just about anyone will appreciate for its quality protection. It's popular amongst iMore staff.

This is the perfect basic case for your MacBook Pro, and it comes in 13-inch and 15-inch versions, so it's great for everybody. It's made from hard plastic but features a softer rubberized coating, which provides excellent grip, especially when it's sitting on your lap.

Cons:

None

Best Value

TopCase 2-in-1 ultra slim hard cover

Two for one

This great basic case includes a keyboard cover as well to keep dust and grime from gumming up your keys.

If you're looking for some rugged protection, then i-Blason's heavy-duty dual layer cover is the way to go. It's made from hard plastic and features a softer, more flexible TPU bumper around the edges for shock absorption. You have the option of black with blue, black with green, all black, or white. You can also get a 15-inch version.

Cons:

Bulkier than some

Best Heavy-Duty Case

i-Blason dual layer cover

Tough

If your MacBook Pro is subjected to more than the average bumps, you might consider a heavy-duty case like this one.

If you're looking something with a nice design but aren't partial to cats with glasses or mandalas, then check out KECC's 'out of this world' cases. They feature space scenes, as well as abstract, wavy paint designs. If you're a stargazer or just like a celestial scene, then these are the cases for you. Both the 13-inch and 15-inch are available in this listing.

Cons:

None

Most Modern

KECC hard shell cover

Stunning designs

Take your MacBook Pro's looks out of this world when you protect it with this beautiful cover.

These cases are super thin and feature a wrapped spine, which buckles at a corner to allow your MacBook Pro to open fully. The cover is made from soft linen, and your MacBook sturdily stays put thanks to 3M 'secure locking adhesive,' which leaves no residue on your laptop. It's also available in a 15-inch version.

Pros:

Handmade

Archival quality linen cover

Stunning looks

Most Luxurious

Pad & Quill Cartella Slim case

Upscale

When you need to make an elegant impression, look no further than Pad & Quill.

The SmartShell is a two-piece case with rubber feet on the bottom to stop your laptop sliding about. It's somewhat similar to other cases on this list, but it's a bit thicker, helping it stand up to bumps and travel a little bit better. There are plenty of color options to choose from, and it's available for just about every MacBook Pro under the sun including the 15-inch version. Cella has had one for eight years, and it's still as great as ever.

Cons:

None

Most Reliable

Speck SmartShell

Cella's case

Writer Cella has relied on this case for the past eight years, and it's still going strong.

Most Colors and Patterns: ProCase hard shell cover

This case is a lot like others on this list, with a matte-finished, hard plastic top and bottom. It comes in many colors, and each case comes with a black keyboard cover. The bottom is vented, so your MacBook Pro doesn't overheat, and the covers snap on and off if you ever want to just admire your laptop on its own. There is also a 15-inch version.

Pros:

Two dozen colors and patterns

Keyboard cover included

Most Colors and Patterns

ProCase hard shell cover

Super selection

Great color and pattern choices here, but note that the included keyboard cover is black or clear, not necessarily the color of the case.

The Tech21 Evo Gem case features a 'BulletShield' material, which is textured to add a bit of shock absorption. The 'gem' design has a cool effect on the MacBook's look when light hits it, and you can find it in either pink or gray. It's also available in the 15-inch version. Apple trusts this brand enough to sell it in Apple retail stores.

Cons:

Pricey

Apple-Recommended

Tech21 Evo Gem case

Apple's pick

You can buy this gem of a case online, or you can buy a Tech21 case at your local brick-and-mortar Apple Store.

If you can have a leather case for your iPhone, then why not for your 13-inch MacBook Pro? This synthetic leather case boasts the elegant and sophisticated look and feel of leather, but with an easy-to-swallow price tag. The bottom is fully vented, so there's no leather holding in heat, and the inner hard plastic shell helps protect against scratches and bumps.

Pros:

Unusual look and feel

Nice color and pattern selection

Best Faux Leather

Fintie PU leather cases

Leather look

This fun faux-leather case certainly stands out from the plastic crowd.

This case has been protecting Karen's MacBook Pro for about a year now, and both the laptop and the case are still in perfect condition. It comes tons of pretty floral patterns, as well as other fun patterns and solids. The bottom is vented to prevent overheating. Choose from either the 13-inch or 15-inch size in this listing.

Pros:

Great selection of gorgeous patterns

High-quality

Best Bargain

GMYLE Macbook Pro Case

Karen's case

Karen loves her pretty floral GMYLE case, it's protected her MacBook Pro on her travels over the past year.

Best Cases For Mac Book Pro Retina 15-inch

Bottom line

Yeah, the MacBook Pro is a nice-looking machine, but if you want to keep it looking gorgeous, then you'll want a quality case for it. For just about anyone, the Mosiso Plastic Hard case is a great pick. It's sturdy and well-fit. The bottom piece is ventilated so your MacBook Pro won't overheat. Rubber 'feet' ensure your laptop won't slip around on your desk. You can choose from 25 beautiful colors. If you can't pick just one, well, the price is so reasonable that you can pick up a couple of different colors to suit your mood or the season. Note that some colors are more translucent than others; this is important if you want your Apple logo to show through. There is no cutout for the logo.

Each Mosiso Plastic Hard case comes with a keyboard cover that matches the case. Give your MacBook screen a little extra protection with the included screen protector. Mosiso offers a one-year warranty on the case and the keyboard cover. This is a precision-fit case, so be sure to check the model number of your MacBook Pro before you purchase the case so it will fit.

So, if you are looking for a Photoshop alternative that’s easier to use or a free Photoshop alternative for your Windows PC, Mac, Linux machine or even your Android. To help you select the best software, we tested six popular photo-editing programs, all either free or under $100: Apple Photos, Corel PaintShop Pro, GIMP, Google Photos, Adobe Photoshop Elements. Best photoshop software for mac free.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Karen S. Freeman is a teacher, writer, social media person, and family woman. She loves to travel, play with tech stuff, drink coffee, discover amazing new restaurants, and experience new things.

Cella Lao rousseau is a writer, true crime enthusiast, bestselling horror author, lipstick collector, buzzkill, Sicilian, gamer.

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Second screen time

Take a monitor on the go with one of these options for your Mac

For work or play, consider one of these portal solutions for your favorite Mac.

BestHard Shell Cases for MacBook ProiMore2019

One of the best ways to protect your MacBook Pro is with a hard shell case. These cases offer scratch and drop protection, and they can often lend a touch of your personal style to your laptop. These are your best options to both protect and beautify your MacBook Pro.

Make sure you choose the correct size of your MacBook Pro (13 inches or 15 inches) before checking out.

Laptop Cases For Mac Book Air

Top pick: Mosiso hard shell case and keyboard cover

Staff Favorite

Mosiso has a huge range of great colors for you to choose from, and its hard shell MacBook Pro cases are inexpensive. Each case also comes with a matching keyboard cover to protect your keys from dirt, dust, spills, and wear. Mosiso also throws in a screen protector, so you're protected all around. Because of its huge selection and great price, it's our pick!

$16 at Amazon

Runner-up: Ueswill matte hard case

Ueswill's hard shell cases are pretty similar to Mosiso's, but if you'd rather more of a design than a solid color, this should be your choice. Ueswill offers a bunch of fun designs, including floral and marble patterns, as well as various graphics of space, nature, and more.

Best Cases For Mac Book Pro Retina 15

$17 at Amazon

Reliable protection: ProCase hard shell cover

These matte cases are pretty standard for hard shell covers. There are a number of colors to choose from, and each comes with a keyboard cover, though the keyboard cover is black — it won't match the case color.

$17 at Amazon

So. Many. Designs.: KEC laptop case

Let your personality shine through with KEC's hard shell MacBook Pro cases, which feature beautiful, bright, and colorful designs and patterns. Each has rubberized feet to hold your laptop in place while you type, and the bottom shell is vented so that it doesn't overheat.

$20 at Amazon

Mandala mania: iCasso hard shell cover

If you love beautiful geometric patterns like mandalas, then this is the case for you. Each case has a matching keyboard cover, and there are several gorgeous mandalas, as well as other designs and solid colors to choose from.

$16 at Amazon

Translucent protection: i-Blason frosted hard shell cover

iBlason's hard shell cases have a translucent surface, so you can see the beauty of your MacBook at all times. Each case is finished with a matte rubber coating for extra grip, and the bottom is vented and adorned with rubber feet.

$20 at Amazon

Much to see: iLeadon case

Protect your MacBook in style with this art print ultra slim rubberized durable plastic shell. This product is available in various styles, including Bohemia, Navy Blue Rose, and more.

$19 at Amazon

Heavy duty: i-Blason dual layer cover

If you need your MacBook Pro to survive a bit more of the rough-and-tumble, then you'll want a rugged case, like i-Blason's dual layer hard shell, which features shock-absorbent rubber edges, a hard plastic body, and precise cutouts for your ports. Comes in four colors.

$34 at Amazon

Even more designs: Mosiso case

If you still haven't found your favorite design in the above selections, then check out what Mosiso has. There are more marble patterns, wood grain options, floral prints, feathers, and mandalas.

$18 at Amazon

So many choices

These are the best hard shell cases we've found for the MacBook Pro. Each is available in multiple styles -- some traditional, others a little bit more creative or unique. Regardless, each of these cases is tough and will protect your investment against bumps and scratches. Many come with extra goodies such as keyboard covers to provide even more protection.

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[newstfionline]

Smartphones Are Killing Americans, But Nobody’s Counting

By Kyle Stock, Lance Lambert, and David Ingold, Bloomberg, October 17, 2017

Jennifer Smith doesn’t like the term “accident.” It implies too much chance and too little culpability.

A “crash” killed her mother in 2008, she insists, when her car was broadsided by another vehicle while on her way to pick up cat food. The other driver, a 20-year-old college student, ran a red light while talking on his mobile phone, a distraction that he immediately admitted and cited as the catalyst of the fatal event.

“He was remorseful,” Smith, now 43, said. “He never changed his story.”

Yet in federal records, the death isn’t attributed to distraction or mobile-phone use. It’s just another line item on the grim annual toll taken by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration [NHTSA]--one of 37,262 that year. Three months later, Smith quit her job as a realtor and formed Stopdistractions.org, a nonprofit lobbying and support group. Her intent was to make the tragic loss of her mother an anomaly.

To that end, she has been wildly unsuccessful. Nine years later, the problem of death-by-distraction has gotten much worse.

Over the past two years, after decades of declining deaths on the road, U.S. traffic fatalities surged by 14.4 percent. In 2016 alone, more than 100 people died every day in or near vehicles in America, the first time the country has passed that grim toll in a decade. Regulators, meanwhile, still have no good idea why crash-related deaths are spiking: People are driving longer distances but not tremendously so; total miles were up just 2.2 percent last year. Collectively, we seemed to be speeding and drinking a little more, but not much more than usual. Together, experts say these upticks don’t explain the surge in road deaths.

There are however three big clues, and they don’t rest along the highway. One, as you may have guessed, is the substantial increase in smartphone use by U.S. drivers as they drive. From 2014 to 2016, the share of Americans who owned an iPhone, Android phone, or something comparable rose from 75 percent to 81 percent.

The second is the changing way in which Americans use their phones while they drive. These days, we’re pretty much done talking. Texting, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are the order of the day--all activities that require far more attention than simply holding a gadget to your ear or responding to a disembodied voice. By 2015, almost 70 percent of Americans were using their phones to share photos and follow news events via social media. In just two additional years, that figure has jumped to 80 percent.

Finally, the increase in fatalities has been largely among bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians--all of whom are easier to miss from the driver’s seat than, say, a 4,000-pound SUV--especially if you’re glancing up from your phone rather than concentrating on the road. Last year, 5,987 pedestrians were killed by cars in the U.S., almost 1,100 more than in 2014--that’s a 22 percent increase in just two years.

Safety regulators and law enforcement officials certainly understand the danger of taking--or making--a phone call while operating a piece of heavy machinery. They still, however, have no idea just how dangerous it is, because the data just isn’t easily obtained. And as mobile phone traffic continues to shift away from simple voice calls and texts to encrypted social networks, officials increasingly have less of a clue than ever before.

Out of NHTSA’s full 2015 dataset, only 448 deaths were linked to mobile phones--that’s just 1.4 percent of all traffic fatalities. By that measure, drunk driving is 23 times more deadly than using a phone while driving, though studies have shown that both activities behind the wheel constitute (on average) a similar level of impairment. NHTSA has yet to fully crunch its 2016 data, but the agency said deaths tied to distraction actually declined last year.

There are many reasons to believe mobile phones are far deadlier than NHTSA spreadsheets suggest. Some of the biggest indicators are within the data itself. In more than half of 2015 fatal crashes, motorists were simply going straight down the road--no crossing traffic, rainstorms, or blowouts. Meanwhile, drivers involved in accidents increasingly mowed down things smaller than a Honda Accord, such as pedestrians or cyclists, many of whom occupy the side of the road or the sidewalk next to it. Fatalities increased inordinately among motorcyclists (up 6.2 percent in 2016) and pedestrians (up 9 percent).

“Honestly, I think the real number of fatalities tied to cell phones is at least three times the federal figure,” Jennifer Smith said. “We’re all addicted and the scale of this is unheard of.”

In a recent study, the nonprofit National Safety Council found only about half of fatal crashes tied to known mobile phone use were coded as such in NHTSA databases. In other words, according to the NSC, NHTSA’s figures for distraction-related death are too low.

Perhaps more telling are the findings of Zendrive Inc., a San Francisco startup that analyzes smartphone data to help insurers of commercial fleets assess safety risks. In a study of 3 million people, it found drivers using their mobile phone during 88 percent of trips. The true number is probably even higher because Zendrive didn’t capture instances when phones were mounted in a fixed position--so-called hands free technology, which is also considered dangerous.

“It’s definitely frightening,” said Jonathan Matus, Zendrive’s co-founder and chief executive officer. “Pretty much everybody is using their phone while driving.”

There are, by now, myriad technological nannies that freeze smartphone activity. Most notably, a recent version of Apple’s iOS operating system can be configured to keep a phone asleep when its owner is driving and to send an automated text response to incoming messages. However, the “Do Not Disturb” function can be overridden by the person trying to get in touch. More critically, safety advocates note that such systems require an opt-in from the same users who have difficulty ignoring their phones in the first place.

In NHTSA’s defense, its tally of mobile phone-related deaths is only as good as the data it gets from individual states, each of which has its own methods for diagnosing and detailing the cause of a crash. Each state in turn relies on its various municipalities to compile crash metrics--and they often do things differently, too.

The data from each state is compiled from accident reports filed by local police, most of which don’t prompt officers to consider mobile phone distraction as an underlying cause. Only 11 states use reporting forms that contain a field for police to tick-off mobile-phone distraction, while 27 have a space to note distraction in general as a potential cause of the accident.

The fine print seems to make a difference. Tennessee, for example, has one of the most thorough accident report forms in the country, a document that asks police to evaluate both distractions in general and mobile phones in particular. Of the 448 accidents involving a phone in 2015 as reported by NHTSA, 84 occurred in Tennessee. That means, a state with 2 percent of the country’s population accounted for 19 percent of its phone-related driving deaths. As in polling, it really depends on how you ask the question.

Prosecutors have a similar bias. Currently, it’s illegal for drivers to use a handheld phone at all in 15 states, and texting while driving is specifically barred in 47 states. But getting mobile phone records after a crash typically involves a court order and, and even then, the records may not show much activity beyond a call or text. If police provide solid evidence of speeding, drinking, drugs or some other violation, lawyers won’t bother pursuing distraction as a cause.

“Crash investigators are told to catch up with this technology phenomenon--and it’s hard,” Sanchez said. “Every year new apps are developed that make it even more difficult.” Officers in Arizona and Montana, meanwhile, don’t have to bother, since they allow mobile phone use while you drive. And in Missouri, police only have to monitor drivers under age 21 who pick up their phone while driving.

Like Smith, Emily Stein, 36, lost a parent to the streets. Ever since her father was killed by a distracted driver in 2011, she sometimes finds herself doing unscientific surveys. She’ll sit in front of her home in the suburbs west of Boston and watch how many passing drivers glance down at their phones.

“I tell my local police department: ‘If you come here, sit on my stoop and hand out tickets. You’d generate a lot of revenue,’” she said.

Since forming the Safe Roads Alliance five years ago, Stein talks to the police regularly. “A lot of them say it surpasses drunk driving at this point,” she said. Meanwhile, grieving families and safety advocates such as her are still struggling to pass legislation mandating hands-free-only use of phones while driving--Iowa and Texas just got around to banning texting behind the wheel.

“The argument is always that it’s big government,” said Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association. “The other issue is that … it’s hard to ban something that we all do, and we know that we want to do.”

Safety advocates such as Smith say lawmakers, investigators and prosecutors won’t prioritize the danger of mobile phones in vehicles until they are seen as a sizable problem--as big as drinking, say. Yet, it won’t be measured as such until it’s a priority for lawmakers, investigators and prosecutors.

“That’s the catch-22 here,” Smith said. “We all know what’s going on, but we don’t have a breathalyzer for a phone.”

Perhaps the lawmakers who vote against curbing phone use in cars should watch the heart-wrenching 36-minute documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog made on the subject. Laudably, the piece, From One Second to the Next, was bankrolled by the country’s major cellular companies. “It’s not just an accident,” Herzog said of the fatalities. “It’s a new form of culture coming at us, and it’s coming with great vehemence.”

Adkins has watched smartphone culture overtake much of his work in 10 years at the helm of the GHSA, growing increasingly frustrated with the mounting death toll and what he calls clear underreporting of mobile phone fatalities. But he doesn’t think the numbers will come down until a backlash takes hold, one where it’s viewed as shameful to drive while using a phone. Herzog’s documentary, it appears, has had little effect in its four years on YouTube.com. At this point, Adkins is simply holding out for gains in autonomous driving technology.

“I use the cocktail party example,” he explained. “If you’re at a cocktail party and say, ‘I was so hammered the other day, and I got behind the wheel,’ people will be outraged. But if you say the same thing about using a cell phone, it won’t be a big deal. It is still acceptable, and that’s the problem.”

[cstesttaken]

Social media strategy for B2B sales organizations

For many B2B organizations, the question of how best to market themselves on social networks is a key one.

When social media first came on the scene, it was mostly thought of as a tool that could be used to reach a mass audience. Many businesses ended up learning the hard way that if they were to use it successfully, communication via such channels needed to be a two-way street.

LinkedIn was a gamechanger for businesses. Not least of which because of its impact on recruitment, but also thanks to the role it has taken as an important lead generation tool.

Here, we’re going to take a look at the broader issue and will be offering some expert advice on how best to approach the whole B2B social selling game.  

Why should you invest in a social media campaign and strategy? 

Consumer behavior is changing rapidly. We’re all now used to using smart phones and other gadgets on a daily basis, to search for information through various channels.

We’re surrounded by information all the time - and this isn’t just true for end consumers. B2B buyers are people too, who are likely to be engaging with social media in one way or another.

The goals teams set for using social media as part of their overall marketing and sales strategies will differ, but whether you want to generate leads or simply maintain a presence, you need to have a solid social media lead generation plan worked out.

75% of B2B buyers are influenced by information they have found on social networks. So, the question to ask yourself is - are they finding your information, or your competitor’s?

What is a good B2B social media strategy for getting sales?

If you have an active sales force with ambitious targets, then spending time on social media may at first seem counterproductive. But it can bring great results if used well.

The biggest mistake most B2B companies make is to go for the sale directly. But that approach simply doesn’t work. Even if the prospect is the perfect fit and you’ve got the perfect solution for their problems, direct selling in this environment will turn them off.

But if you’re not using social sites to sell, then they’re just a waste of time, right?

The best B2B social media strategy to have is one that:

Acknowledges who your buyers are

Where you can find them

How they want to be talked to

Almost all buyers will do extensive online research before talking to a sales person directly. If they can’t find much online, then they will most likely pass your company by and check out a competitor who has a bigger online presence.

It’s a crude example, but if your target buyers use Facebook and happen to love cat photos, then that’s your way in. You know where you’ll find them and now have a way to engage with them that will certainly get their attention!

A great strategy for any B2B sales organization to follow on social media should contain:

1. Well written and filled out profiles 

2. A plan for which social platforms will be used actively, which will be used re-actively, and which not at all

3. The person(s) who will be responsible for adding content, engaging with the audience and generally being the bridge between the outside world and the company

5. Ways to get buy-in and involvement internally from the rest of the team

Your profiles

This is how you are presenting yourself to the rest of the world. It should give an impression of what your company is like and the type of people who work for you.

People like to do business with people and social media is the perfect tool to promote the personal side of your company. It can give prospects a peek behind the corporate brand wall.

Your social media profiles are what will help bring people to your website and can also help keep your existing contacts engaged with you. They are a bit like a permanent online market stall that’s showing off the social, human side of your company. 

Which social platforms should you use?

There are hundreds of platforms out there to choose from, some of the largest and most popular being Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. The question is, which ones are going to be best for you to use actively?

For B2B organizations, LinkedIn generally makes the most sense and is becoming a must have. Using the Sales Navigator function, anyone involved in sales can turn it into a powerful lead generation tool. Especially when it is combined with other outreach programs, such as Lead Forensics, which can tell you exactly who is on your website right now. Check out our blog how to use LinkedIn to generate leads for more great advice on this.

The less obvious choice for B2B organizations is Facebook, but B2B companies can have huge success engaging with an audience here, particularly when using retargeting.

Again, it’s important to stress the fact that on Facebook – like any other social site - nobody wants to be sold to.

Twitter, while having far fewer users, is still very popular. And if the audience you want to reach is on Twitter, then you should be too. Or at the very least, consider using it to help enhance your SEO efforts.

As well as the main platforms, there are hundreds of smaller niche social networks which could be perfect for you. Start by looking for groups and communities where people come together to discuss specific topics that relate to your business.

One thing to think about when you’re considering platforms is which you will actively manage, and which you will simply have a presence on and only react when you need to. For example, you might be active and going for engagement on LinkedIn, making use of all its tools, while you only keep a low profile on Twitter, simply monitoring it for mentions.

Who will manage your social media?

The next important question is who will be responsible for creating and maintaining your social presence, as well as actively pursuing a strategic approach – such as lead generation.

If you’re serious about using social media marketing to the full (and you should be) you need to have at least one dedicated in-house person who is responsible for it.

You may start off with the help of an agency, who can get things off the ground for you and help you handle the steep learning curve. But it will always work best and most effectively with an inhouse person at the center of the process. This is an issue we discuss in more detail in our thoughts on outsourcing social media article.

Objectives and goals

Lots of the blog posts we’ve already signposted throughout this piece have some great advice on goal setting. Make sure you start by asking ‘why’– why do you want to use social media? What do you want to achieve?

Make sure you set goals and know how you’re going to track and measure your success in relation to them. What do you need to put in place from the start to ensure this happens?

Whilst direct selling doesn’t work well on social media, building and engaging with a target audience does. This is where your aims should lie.

It’s a team effort

One challenge that’s traditionally been faced by sales-focused organizations is getting buy-in from everyone in the company and their active involvement.

Yes, you can put standalone campaigns together and run them via your social channels. But what will make them work even better is for you to be consistently active and to build engagement over time. Not just when there’s a new product launch, for example.

Social media marketing and content marketing go hand in hand. The information that sits at the heart of the content, shaping and informing it, needs to come from the wider team. It’s their expertise and the experience they have with customers that will help you create high quality content that the target audience will find interesting and relevant.

To achieve this, you firstly need to get team buy-in.

Simply sending out an internal memo saying you’re now on social media and asking for support isn’t going to do anything. It’s just not enough.

The best way to get employees involved is to hold an internal workshop where you educate them on exactly what the company is doing on social media, why and the role that everyone within the company has to play in its success.

At the other end of the scale you also sometimes get organizations that have control issues. If every single tweet needs to be approved by three departments before it can be posted, you’re going to have a problem. Work on resolving that process before you get started so you give yourself a fighting chance of success.

Quality content

You need to be producing and sharing engaging content, if you’re to make an impact. But it can be easier said than done - especially if you work in a more mundane B2B industry.

If you haven’t done any kind of content production yet, other than perhaps for advertising, then it’s a good idea to engage the help of an agency (or at the very least a freelancer) to help you get the ball rolling.

High quality content relies on you finding the right message and the right voice with which to deliver it. Firstly, you need to be clear what the story is you’re trying to tell.

Another aspect is quality control. Always let at least two people check text and visuals before they are shared online. Work with a professional who knows how to create appealing content.

Getting stuck in

Any comprehensive and well thought through B2B social media strategy and marketing plan will contain many moving parts. Getting it right isn’t always easy and it certainly takes a lot of trial and error to find the right voice and content to share. But if you work at and start engaging effectively with your target audience, you’ll soon reap the rewards and will see your bottom line increase.

 Source

http://blog.leadforensics.com/social-media-strategy-for-b2b-sales-organizations